Why do we have to wait so long to get what we deserve? I'm talking about those of us who are veterans that filed a claim with the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) for benefits. I was injured during my military stint in a number of ways. Despite these known facts in my military and medical records, I continue to get denied. I keep appealing each denial, which is always met with yet another DENIED! This is so frustrating because the VA believes something is wrong with me or they would pay me at all. However, I do not receive the rightful benefits I deserve. I am talking about Service-Connected (SC) benefits.
When a veteran is paid SC benefits, their life will change. They will be able to take care of themselves in a better way, and be offered a few more opportunities because of their sacrifices for our country. The problem with receiving a SC award is that it is so very hard to get for the majority of us. For instance, I know of several individuals that only apply for benefits once and get approved immediately, while others (like myself) fight for years to get what they deserve.
I've been fighting for SC benefits since 1998. I have never been approved, and I continually submit new and related evidence on a regular basis. In 2013, I finally broke down and asked for help by getting an attorney. I hope this will increase my chances of being awarded. However, many veterans believe we should forgo this process on our own instead of paying out a hefty fee of 20 percent for retro pay if we are awarded benefits.
Different Veteran Service Officers (VSO) can probably get you the same benefits in the same length of time, but most are unsuccessful when it comes to proving that a veteran has been injured and is currently suffering from the ramifications of those injuries to date. If you cannot rely on a VSO representative to help you for free, then your next option is to turn to an attorney for help.
This is what I did after battling with the VA for well over a decade. Yes, 20 percent is a large sum of money to cough up in one setting, but I believe it is worth it. Now, the next question is, "What is taking so long to make a decision on my claim if I have a legal representative"? Unfortunately, those of us with representation will still have to wait just as long and sometimes even longer to have our claim(s) reviewed. Every correspondence will be filtered through your representative first. Then you have to wait to view the information yourself before sending back a response. This whole process seems confusing and lengthy. Let me just say from personal experience that it is.
In addition, having a representative will not speed up the processing of your claim. It can slow it down to a snails pace. Right now, the VA is promising to process claims with a minimum of 125-180 days. I have yet to see this happen for anyone in particular. Just get prepared to wait for 2-4 years before your claim is even looked at. This time frame remains the same rather you have representation or not.
So, why did you get an attorney then? I chose to get an attorney in order to have someone speak on my behalf. The verbiage I was using in my Statement in Support of Claims (VA Form 21-4138) were not good enough. There are certain things that need to be mentioned in order to get the attention of the claims processor, and I just don't know what that is. Thus, if you decide to file a claim for benefits, be prepared to wait a long time before you reach the front of the line. Unfortunately, this is just the way it is.
Do you have a VSO representative assisting you? If not, then here are a few examples of VSO representatives in your area. They are usually located with: Disabled American Veterans (DAV), American Legion (AL), or Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) to name a few. Visit these websites to learn more information about them, and on how to receive help.
Are you considering filing a claim, or do you have a claim in process? Check the status of your claim and/or file a new one with the VA eBenefits website. This website also provides a lot of key tips to help you get started on your claim.
Just note that I am not a medical or legal provider. Everything I state in my blogs are my sole opinions only. Be sure to visit my website http://www.sodidshe.com where I talk about symptoms of mental and physical health in veterans. In addition, I also provide tips on key organizations, and more information on things that may encourage wellness vets.
No comments:
Post a Comment